


Food and Photography

by allthingspieandhockey (SunMonTue)



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: AU, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 19:09:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7373920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunMonTue/pseuds/allthingspieandhockey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Bitty is an upcoming TV personality about to release his first book. Jack’s best friend, Shitty Knight, is a food photographer who has been assigned the job, however due to being in hospital Jack agrees to help out. (AU in that Jack still OD’d but never went back to hockey. He took the photography class in his first semester and fell in love with it. He still played hockey at Samwell but decided to not pursue a career in it after all.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Food and Photography

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I know nothing about food photography. Just that it happens.  
> The original work of Check Please is by Ngozi.

“Thanks for doing this Jack, I know it’s not your usual thing…”

“It’s not a problem Lards, and it’s not like Shitty planned for his appendix to burst.”

“Well, you never know with Shits,” Lardo says, laughing as she knocks on the door to the apartment where they’ll be working today, bumping his shoulder companionably and he always forgets how much he misses his friends while he’s away. “I’m just glad you were available and actually in the country for once.”

“Montreal isn’t _that_ far –”

The door opens and he stops talking, shifting the large bags of photography gear on his shoulder – most of it is Shitty’s. He doesn’t need this much when it’s just him and the outdoors.

“Hi, you must be Eric Bittle. I’m Larissa, this is Jack. B­–”

“Come in! Please. It’s so nice to meet you after all the back-and-forth with the emails. I have to say I am kind of a nervous wreck right now, I’ve been up since four doing all the prep and have made most of the things I can already, but I just feel like I’m forgetting something –”

“Don’t we want some action shots?” Jack asks, looking toward Lardo for confirmation as they follow Eric toward the kitchen. The apartment is filled with a multitude of smells and he can’t pick anything specific out.

“Oh, there’ll be plenty of action,” Eric says, and then bites his lip, his face pulling into a dismayed scrunch and Jack can’t help smiling slightly. “I just meant that there’s _so much_ left to do. I, um, cleared the area over there for all your equipment. I just need to go and check a few things.”

Jack flicks a quick amused glance at Lardo and starts unpacking. He’s seen the creative vision sketches that Shitty and Lardo have planned, knows the kitchen has sufficient light, and he’s brought all of Shitty’s equipment to shoot indoors anyway. He’s also got pages of notes about the different meals and ideas that Shitty and Lardo had planned out. This is meant to be the first of three photo-shoots, spaced fortnightly, so hopefully Shitty will be recovered enough to take over for the next one.

There’s music playing in the kitchen, something he supposes he should recognize, except he doesn’t and he no longer cares what people think of him. He hangs the camera around his neck, along with the back and the other lenses. He walks around and tests the light, feels the eyes of Eric Bittle following him. When he looks at him though his eyes are carefully averted, intent on whatever food he’s making.

* * *

Bitty feels flustered. For a start, Mr. Knight is _gorgeous_ , but also overwhelming straight and even if he _isn’t_ quite straight he’s still here with his other half. That’s what he’d called Larissa in their e-mail communication, his other half. He’s assumed that that is both business-half and romantic-half, because their names are so often linked in food magazine by-lines. Cooking for such a highly renowned food photographer and reviewer is more than a little nerve wracking. While Mr. Knight, _Jack_ , isn’t here to review the food he will probably make a mention of it on his next blog. Careers have been made, and broken, on less.

He’s making a lot of food, knows that while time is limited they do have ten hours, which he can get a _lot_ done in. He’s got some friends coming to help him eat it all tonight, his neighbours Justin and Adam especially will help ensure there aren’t too many leftovers. He’ll invite Jack and Larissa of course, it would be rude not to, and he really needs to apologize for interrupting Larissa during her introductions, even if he already knew who they were, even if it is in name only.

He concentrates on checking the pumpkin soup he has simmering, knowing that it doesn’t really need much checking but he prods some of the softening vegetable pieces anyway. He glances up and watches as Jack and Larissa stand close, murmuring to one another and they just look so very comfortable with one another. He lets out a quiet sigh and turns his attention to preparing the vegetables for the Thai beef salad, his eyes drifting back to the other two almost constantly. He hasn’t had time for a relationship, hasn’t had the opportunity to even _try_ , although Justin and Adam are constantly trying to set him up on dates. Maybe it’s time he actually took them up on it.

His head snaps up when he hears his name and Jack and Larissa are both suddenly closer, watching him carefully and he plasters the biggest smile he can on his face. The click of a camera and then Jack is muttering about shitty cameras and useless unnecessary sounds, before apologizing and stating that he wants to be as unobtrusive as possible. For some reason Larissa is laughing at Jack, telling him he isn’t going to scare off any wildlife and Bitty would kind of like to argue, he kind of feels a little… well, not scared he supposes, but definitely _something_.

Giving himself a mental shake he turns his focus to his work, reminds himself that Jack and Larissa are here to _also_ do a job and he can mope and feel sorry for himself tonight when he’s alone in bed. He gets on with soaking noodles, toasting cashew nuts and chopping cilantro and chilli. Despite saying he was going to be unobtrusive Jack keeps talking, asking questions, and Bitty finds himself talking. First it’s about the food and what it is he’s doing exactly, then it’s about some of the recipes and the links they have to his family, or the places he’s been.

Larissa is going through his cupboards, pulling out his plates and props – he has a lot of his own stuff from years of doing it all himself and had told them as much. Also it was one of the few stipulations he asked to be considered, was that they use as much of his things as possible because it’s _his_ face and recipes and it’s just such a big part of him. This book is the culmination of _years_ of hard work and he feels completely cliché when he thinks of it as his baby. But it does.

* * *

“Here, let’s take a break. Have some lunch. I’m beat.”

“You mean we get to finally eat some of this gorgeous looking food?” Jack asks.

They’ve been shooting for four hours, and he knows he’s got some really good shots. Eric is incredibly photogenic and comfortable being in front of the camera, which makes Jack’s job incredibly easy. Lardo has been plating things and arranging creative scenes, taking fresh items from Eric’s kitchen as she needs them like it’s her own kitchen. Now though they’re finally having a break – time for lunch apparently and there is _plenty_ of food. He really wants to try the noodle salad. First though, he really needs the bathroom.

“Just down the hall on your right,” Eric gestures when he asks. Their eyes meet and hold each other’s gaze for a brief moment. He’s not exactly the best at social cues, and being fairly isolated in his work doesn’t help, but he can’t figure out if Eric Bittle likes him or… _not_. He’s been trying his best to seem interested, asking about the food, ingredients, cooking techniques – not that he really knows the difference but he’s at least trying to engage him in conversation. Lardo just seems amused by the whole thing, rolling her eyes and occasionally huffing in amusement at his expense.

Jack walks down the hall, stopping in surprise when he sees one of his own images hanging in a large wooden frame in the hallway. It’s one of his all-time favorites, although not one of his better known shots. He’d been in the highlands in Georgia, driving on a nearly completely deserted road when the sun had just hit the dry grasslands, making them seem like a rippling blanket if fire, contrasted with the tall mountains with the first dusting of snow far in the back. The contrast had appealed to him even though he knew at the time that it wasn’t ever going to be a commercially popular print.

But here it was.

He hurries through his bathroom visit, noting that while it’s not a large bathroom, it has two doors, one obviously coming from the only bedroom in the apartment. He heads back to the kitchen to find a plate of food waiting for him and he sits at the island, wondering if he should be an asshole and snap a quick photo with his phone and send it to Shitty. _Yes,_ he decides.

* * *

“Here, Larissa, please, try some.”

“Ugh. Please call me Lardo, or Rissa. No one calls me Larissa except my parents. And Shitty, when he’s trying to piss me off.”

Bitty’s not quite sure what to make of that so he just smiles, wondering what, or who, is shitty. Maybe Jack? He glances across and Jack seems to be enjoying the food at least, making small moans of appreciation that have Bitty want to keep hearing more. It’s only his own mind that is making it sound sexual.

“I have to ask, you’re really okay with the name Lardo?”

“It’s a hockey nickname. It stuck from college.”

“Oh, did you play?”

Larissa, _Lardo_ he reminds himself, and Jack both crack up laughing and Bitty raises an eyebrow, knowing there has to be a story here.

“I definitely didn’t play. I can’t skate, despite the best efforts of an entire hockey team for four years. But I got the nickname and it stuck. Jack here never got a nickname.”

“Not for lack of people trying though,” Jack says, his eyes crinkling softly and Bitty bites his bottom lip, forcing himself to keep quiet because he just looks _so happy_.

“And considering some of the nicknames people had, still _have_ , I’m glad I walked away with Lardo. This salad is amazing by the way. Do you mind if I take some to Shitty? He was really upset that he was going to miss out on the veritable feast that this shoot was going to be.”

“Of course I don’t mind. Let me get you some Tupperware,” Bitty says, and he mouths _shitty_ to himself the moment his back is turned, pulling out a decent sized container and filling it with the Thai beef salad on one side and noodle salad on the other. The flavors are complimentary at least so he doesn’t have to worry about them blending. Who would call themselves shitty though?

“Oh, and look, a text message. It’s like he knows I am enjoying food without him,” Lardo says, rolling her eyes and Bitty opens his mouth, because he _really_ wants to ask, but he feels like he’s missed his chance. “You fucker, you sent him a photo!” Lardo exclaims and she punches Jack in the arm, Jack is laughing and Bitty blinks. He can apparently get more attractive. _Huh_. “Oh wow, thanks so much. I’ll be back as soon as I can, but from the list I can tell that there’s nothing that will need setting up for a few hours at least, so I’ll leave you in Jack’s capable hands.”

He watches as she gives Jack a quick kiss on the cheek before heading toward the door, and he really feels like he’s missing something.

“This is going to be a thousand times better than hospital food; he’ll be too grateful to care about what it looks like. Trust me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that he’s in hospital, I hope nothing’s seriously wrong,” Bitty says as he walks her to the door, because, _okay_ _then_ , Shitty must be a person if he’s in hospital. Why would he care about how the food looks?

“He’ll be fine, recovering nicely, especially if he’s already complaining about the food. You’ll get to meet him next time of course,” Lardo says, and with that she’s gone and Bitty frowns. Who the hell is Shitty? Was he meant to be here today? _Why_ was he meant to be here today?

* * *

Jack watches as Eric walks back into the kitchen and he’s frowning, like he’s worried about something and Jack feels like he should feel a lot more awkward than he does, being left on his own with someone who is effectively a complete stranger. An attractive stranger that Jack wouldn’t mind getting to know better, if he could actually figure out the flirting. No doubt Lardo will regale Shitty with his attempts when she turns up with his lunch so he should prepare himself for the chirping.

“You okay?” Jack asks, and Eric looks up at him.

“Who is Shitty exactly?”

“Lardo’s other half, in business as well as… uh,” Jack blushes, because that’s what Shitty always says when proclaiming his love for Lardo, and it had just come to him naturally to say that.

“I thought _you_ were that other half…?” Eric says, and Jack frowns and then huffs out a small breath.

“I think there’s been some confusion. I’m not Shitty.”

“No, you’re… Jack.”

“Yeah. Jack Zimmermann. My best friend is Shitty Knight. He’s your photographer, except he’s in hospital. His appendix burst about… uh, thirty-six hours ago now, so he’s in hospital. I’m doing this as a favor.”

“Oh.”

“Sorry – I thought you knew.”

“I… no, I didn’t, but I sort of ran over Larissa’s introductions when you arrived and I just assumed. Oh. Well now I feel like a fool.”

“Easy mistake to make,” Jack says, aiming to sound consoling.

“Is he really named Shitty?” Eric asks, like it’s a burning question.

“No, although he did look into changing it legally. Profanity isn’t allowed though. It’s another hockey nickname,” Jack explains, watching as Eric starts mixing something, noting that the other man isn’t even paying attention to what he is doing and obviously working on autopilot.

“Huh, okay then. That’s… that make no sense but I’m good at rolling with things. So, you went to college with Larissa and… Shitty? That’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Yeah. We all went to Samwell, it’s a small –”

“Oh. I know where Samwell is. It was actually one of the colleges I applied for. I didn’t get the athletic scholarship I needed though, so it didn’t happen.”

“Really? Which sport?”

“Hockey, if you would believe it.”

“I… really?” Jack struggles to believe it, because hockey is not what he’d pick as a first sport when looking at him.

“I played through high school. I know I’m small, but I’m fast. Anyway, I went to a local college and my YouTube channel just took off along with winning a local baking competition and it just grew insane from there and here I am. I never even finished college.”

“Well my college plans didn’t exactly finish how I imagine either. I was going to play hockey professionally, uh,” Jack pauses, because even though it was ten years ago he still feels like everyone knows his business and private life. “I took a photography course my first year, played on the Samwell team, but decided to stop after college.” To this day it’s still the best decision he’s ever made.

“Wow, you must have been pretty good if you were thinking about playing professionally.”

“I…yeah, I guess I was. Just didn’t like the pressure. Photography is more my scene. I’m not the focus of things anymore, I like being behind the camera instead of in front of it.”

“Well, you could be. You’ve definitely got the looks for it,” Eric says, and Jack can’t miss the blush on Eric’s cheeks and he can’t help grinning, because _finally_ , Eric is actually flirting back. Which makes sense if Eric thought that Jack was with Lardo, but now that _that’s_ been cleared up Jack might actually be in with a chance.

“You’re one to talk, you’re made to be in front of a camera,” Jack says, adding internally _you’re gorgeous_ , but feeling like that might be a little strong to start with no matter how much he means it.

* * *

Bitty knows he’s blushing, even more than he was a few minutes ago, and he’s glad that he hadn’t been imagining things. He’d thought Jack had  _maybe_ been flirting with him, but he’d also thought that maybe he was just that type of person, because Lardo hadn’t seem perturbed by it at all, which makes perfect sense seeing as her and Jack aren’t a couple. So maybe he doesn’t need to feel sorry for himself later.

“Well thank you, I’m glad I haven’t cracked any of your lenses.”

“No chance of that.”

Bitty is about to try and divert the conversation away from things that are constantly making him blush when he hears someone knocking on his door, and judging from the knock he’d bet his money that it’s Adam. Surely he should be at work right now? Quickly rinsing his hands, he excuses himself and Jack starts tidying up, rinsing his lunch plate and loading the dishwasher and Bitty can’t help the little flutter of excitement. Opening the door he does indeed find Adam standing there.

“Bitty, I can smell the _food_. I have been smelling the _food_ for _hours_. It’s like torture in my apartment. Do you have something to tide me over until tonight? Pretty please?”

“You’re a menace, but of course I do. Come and have some lunch sugar. Why aren’t you at work?” Bitty asks, letting Adam close the door before he follows him back toward the kitchen. Adam and Justin moved in only six months ago, but they’ve become fast friends and Bitty hopes it isn’t because he’s always feeding them

“Working from home today, best ever. Also, I have a date for you! Totally your type!”

“I really don’t need your –” Bitty starts, but is cut off by Adam.

“Jack! Oh my god, what are the chances! Shitty said you were in town!”

Bitty blinks, because obviously Jack and Adam know each other because they’re now exchanging hugs and what is his life even today? It’s been one thing after another.

“Jack is the guy I was going to set you up with!” Adam declares.

Bitty watches as Jack actually face-palms and he can’t help but let out a little slightly-hysterical laugh.

“I don’t think Eric and I need your help…” Jack mutters, and then his eyes go wide and frantic, looking toward him. “Unless I read things wrong? I mean, I’d like to take you on a date?” Jack asks, and it’s so clearly a question and Bitty finds himself nodding and smiling. Adam is digging into the leftover bowl of noodle salad, not even bothering with a plate, grinning at them in turn around his forkful of food.

“This is s’awesome, I’ve been trying to get you guys to meet for _ages_! We call him Bitty though, because he’s so… you know, little.”

“I’m perfectly normal sized thank you!” Eric states, and he realizes that the college that Adam and Justin went to was obviously Samwell, and he can’t believe they world is actually that small.

“You’d have been on our team, if you’d gotten that scholarship,” Jack says, and Eric starts, because he _hadn’t_ realized that, and it’s weird to think how he could have met Jack over ten years ago.

“What?” Adam asks around a mouthful of food, and Bitty lets Jack explain how weirdly their lives could be different if he’d managed to go to Samwell.

“Dude, this is some Sliding Doors scenario. How cool is that? I wonder if you two dated in that world?” Jack huffs and rolls his eyes, but Bitty grins, because he’s pretty sure if Adam and Justin had anything to do with it they would have. “Man, I wonder if there is a world where you play hockey professionally. I wonder if there’s a world where _I_ play professionally?”

“Infinite worlds…” Jack murmurs, catching Bitty’s eye again and he looks a little more settled, and Bitty smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> I may write a sequel, I don't know, I will see what I feel like.  
> I am on tumblr and like everyone in this fandom have a dedicated Check Please side blog. (Does anyone have any main blogs that are solely Check Please!?)  
> Also looking for a beta reader and/or helper that knows about hockey and/or French.


End file.
